There’s no right way to write. Some people work in their rooms. Others work in coffee shops. Some people start writing just after the sun rises. Some people finish for the day just before the dawn. Some writers (including yours truly) have to work in silence. But Vita Ayala needs a killer track going at all times. According to them, “I have to work to music. It’s impossible for me not to have music on.”
When asked about their writing process, Ayala compared it to the running montage from Creed. They named DUCKWRTH’s & Shaboozey’s song “Start a Riot,” from the Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse soundtrack, as their hype song. It’s an aggressive and absolutely electric track — fitting for Ayala, who pens the Valiant Entertainment series Livewire.
When The Beat spoke with Ayala about Livewire before the series started, they described it as a personal reckoning for the eponymous lead character, who caused massive unintended devastation when they shut down everything electronic across America in order to stop the government from coming after her fellow psiots — superpowered people in the Valiant universe. According to Ayala, who worked on the series alongside artists Raúl Allén and Patricia Martín for the first story arc, and is working with artist Kano on the current story arc, “[Livewire] has to learn how to deal with [the consequences of her actions], just to acknowledge the things that went wrong and then figure out how to move forward and be the hero that she thought she was.”
Ahead of the release of Livewire #6, out today in comic book shops everywhere, The Beat spoke to Ayala once more, this time on camera, to learn about the other songs to which they write. They spilled the beans, but then did us one better — you can listen to Vita’s Kill Persephone playlist and their Livewire playlist right now on Spotify.
Check out the video interview, hit play on Spotify, and then scroll on to read the full first issue of Livewire, provided to The Beat courtesy of Valiant. Livewire Vol. 1, which collects issues #1-4 of the ongoing series, is available now.
And lastly, remember to subscribe to The Beat‘s YouTube channel. We’re just getting started.

Livewire #1
Writer: Vita Ayala
Artists: Raúl Allén, Patricia Martín
Letterer: Saida Temofonte
Accomplice. Mentor. Savior. And now, Enemy of the State. Seeking to protect other vulnerable super-powered psiots like herself, Livewire plunged the United States into a nationwide blackout with her technopathic abilities, causing untold devastation. After choosing the few over the many, she must now outrun the government she served – and those she once called allies. With the whole world hunting her, what kind of hero will Livewire be…or will she be one at all?
From rising star Vita Ayala (Supergirl) and astounding artists Raúl Allén and Patricia Martín (SECRET WEAPONS) comes an electrifying new series that will launch the Valiant Universe into a new age of champions!

Alex is the New Media Editor of the Beat. He's your go-to fella for creator interviews, conversations about comic book structure, and general DC Comics nerding. He also really, really loves YA Romance comics.